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Sablan O, Ford B, Gargulinski E, Hammer MS, Henery G, Kondragunta S, Martin RV, Rosen Z, Slater K, van Donkelaar A, Zhang H, Soja AJ, Magzamen S, Pierce JR, Fischer EV. Quantifying Prescribed-Fire Smoke Exposure Using Low-Cost Sensors and Satellites: Springtime Burning in Eastern Kansas. GEOHEALTH 2024; 8:e2023GH000982. [PMID: 38560558 PMCID: PMC10975953 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Prescribed fires (fires intentionally set for mitigation purposes) produce pollutants, which have negative effects on human and animal health. One of the pollutants produced from fires is fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The Flint Hills (FH) region of Kansas experiences extensive prescribed burning each spring (March-May). Smoke from prescribed fires is often understudied due to a lack of monitoring in the rural regions where prescribed burning occurs, as well as the short duration and small size of the fires. Our goal was to attribute PM2.5 concentrations to the prescribed burning in the FH. To determine PM2.5 increases from local burning, we used low-cost PM2.5 sensors (PurpleAir) and satellite observations. The FH were also affected by smoke transported from fires in other regions during 2022. We separated the transported smoke from smoke from fires in eastern Kansas. Based on data from the PurpleAir sensors, we found the 24-hr median PM2.5 to increase by 3.0-5.3 μg m-3 (based on different estimates) on days impacted by smoke from fires in the eastern Kansas region compared to days unimpacted by smoke. The FH region was the most impacted by smoke PM2.5 compared to other regions of Kansas, as observed in satellite products and in situ measurements. Additionally, our study found that hourly PM2.5 estimates from a satellite-derived product aligned with our ground-based measurements. Satellite-derived products are useful in rural areas like the FH, where monitors are scarce, providing important PM2.5 estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Sablan
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Bonne Ford
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Emily Gargulinski
- National Institute of AerospaceHamptonVAUSA
- NASA Langley Research CenterHamptonVAUSA
| | - Melanie S. Hammer
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Giovanna Henery
- Department of Journalism and Media CommunicationColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | | | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Zoey Rosen
- Department of Journalism and Media CommunicationColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Kellin Slater
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Hai Zhang
- I.M. Systems Group at NOAACollege ParkMDUSA
| | | | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Jeffrey R. Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Emily V. Fischer
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
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2
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Barkoski J, Van Fleet E, Liu A, Ramsey S, Kwok RK, Miller AK. Data Linkages for Wildfire Exposures and Human Health Studies: A Scoping Review. GEOHEALTH 2024; 8:e2023GH000991. [PMID: 38487553 PMCID: PMC10937504 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity, with significant consequences that impact human health. A scoping review was conducted to: (a) understand wildfire-related health effects, (b) identify and describe environmental exposure and health outcome data sources used to research the impacts of wildfire exposures on health, and (c) identify gaps and opportunities to leverage exposure and health data to advance research. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and a sample of 83 articles met inclusion criteria. A majority of studies focused on respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes. Hospital administrative data was the most common health data source, followed by government data sources and health surveys. Wildfire smoke, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), was the most common exposure measure and was predominantly estimated from monitoring networks and satellite data. Health data were not available in real-time, and they lacked spatial and temporal coverage to study health outcomes with longer latency periods. Exposure data were often available in real-time and provided better temporal and spatial coverage but did not capture the complex mixture of hazardous wildfire smoke pollutants nor exposures associated with non-air pathways such as soil, household dust, food, and water. This scoping review of the specific health and exposure data sources used to underpin these studies provides a framework for the research community to understand: (a) the use and value of various environmental and health data sources, and (b) the opportunities for improving data collection, integration, and accessibility to help inform our understanding of wildfires and other environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Barkoski
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.a DLH Holdings CompanyDurhamNCUSA
| | - E. Van Fleet
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.a DLH Holdings CompanyDurhamNCUSA
| | - A. Liu
- Department of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthDurhamNCUSA
- Kelly Government SolutionsRockvilleMDUSA
| | - S. Ramsey
- Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.a DLH Holdings CompanyDurhamNCUSA
| | - R. K. Kwok
- Department of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute on AgingNational Institutes of HealthBaltimoreMDUSA
| | - A. K. Miller
- Department of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthDurhamNCUSA
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3
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Abstract
We review current knowledge on the trends and drivers of global wildfire activity, advances in the measurement of wildfire smoke exposure, and evidence on the health effects of this exposure. We describe methodological issues in estimating the causal effects of wildfire smoke exposures on health and quantify their importance, emphasizing the role of nonlinear and lagged effects. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure, finding positive impacts on all-cause mortality and respiratory hospitalizations but less consistent evidence on cardiovascular morbidity. We conclude by highlighting priority areas for future research, including leveraging recently developed spatially and temporally resolved wildfire-specific ambient air pollution data to improve estimates of the health effects of wildfire smoke exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos F Gould
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; ,
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA;
| | - Mary Johnson
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ,
| | - Juan Aguilera
- Center for Community Health Impact, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, El Paso, Texas, USA;
| | - Marshall Burke
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; ,
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA;
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kari Nadeau
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; ,
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4
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Cromar K, Gladson L, Gohlke J, Li Y, Tong D, Ewart G. Adverse Health Impacts of Outdoor Air Pollution, Including from Wildland Fires, in the United States: "Health of the Air," 2018-2020. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2024; 21:76-87. [PMID: 37906164 PMCID: PMC10867920 DOI: 10.1513/annalsats.202305-455oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Adverse health impacts from outdoor air pollution occur across the United States, but the magnitude of these impacts varies widely by geographic region. Ambient pollutant concentrations, emission sources, baseline health conditions, and population sizes and distributions are all important factors that need to be taken into account to quantify local health burdens. Objectives: To determine health impacts from ambient air pollution concentrations in the United States that exceed the levels recommended by the American Thoracic Society. Methods: Using a methodology that has been well established in previous "Health of the Air" reports, this study provides policy-relevant estimates for every monitored county and city in the United States for the adverse health impacts of outdoor pollution concentrations using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency design values for years 2018-2020. Additionally, for the first time, the report includes adverse birth outcomes as well as estimates of health impacts specifically attributable to wildland fires using an exposure dataset generated through Community Multiscale Air Quality simulations. Results: The adverse health burdens attributable to air pollution occur across the entire age spectrum, including adverse birth outcomes (10,660 preterm and/or low-weight births; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3,180-18,330), in addition to mortality impacts (21,300 avoidable deaths; 95% CI, 16,180-26,200), lung cancer incidence (3,000 new cases; 95% CI, 1,550-4,390), multiple types of cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity (748,660 events; 95% CI, 326,050-1,057,080), and adversely impacted days (52.4 million days; 95% CI, 7.9-92.4 million days). Two different estimates of mortality impacts from wildland fires were created based on assumptions regarding the underlying toxicity of particles from wildland fires (low estimate of 4,080 deaths, 95% CI, 240-7,890; middle estimate of 28,000 deaths, 95% CI, 27,300-28,700). Conclusions: This year's report identified sizable health benefits that would be expected to occur across the United States with compliance with more health-protective air quality standards such as those recommended by the American Thoracic Society. This study also indicates that a large number of excess deaths are attributable to emissions from wildland fires; air quality management strategies outside what is required by the Clean Air Act will be needed to best address this important source of air pollution and its associated health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Cromar
- Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University, New York, New York
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Laura Gladson
- Marron Institute of Urban Management, New York University, New York, New York
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Yunyao Li
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences and
| | - Daniel Tong
- Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences and
- Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia; and
| | - Gary Ewart
- American Thoracic Society, Washington, DC
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5
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O'Dell K, Kondragunta S, Zhang H, Goldberg DL, Kerr GH, Wei Z, Henderson BH, Anenberg SC. Public Health Benefits From Improved Identification of Severe Air Pollution Events With Geostationary Satellite Data. GEOHEALTH 2024; 8:e2023GH000890. [PMID: 38259818 PMCID: PMC10801669 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Despite improvements in ambient air quality in the US in recent decades, many people still experience unhealthy levels of pollution. At present, national-level alert-day identification relies predominately on surface monitor networks and forecasters. Satellite-based estimates of surface air quality have rapidly advanced and have the capability to inform exposure-reducing actions to protect public health. At present, we lack a robust framework to quantify public health benefits of these advances in applications of satellite-based atmospheric composition data. Here, we assess possible health benefits of using geostationary satellite data, over polar orbiting satellite data, for identifying particulate air quality alert days (24hr PM2.5 > 35 μg m-3) in 2020. We find the more extensive spatiotemporal coverage of geostationary satellite data leads to a 60% increase in identification of person-alerts (alert days × population) in 2020 over polar-orbiting satellite data. We apply pre-existing estimates of PM2.5 exposure reduction by individual behavior modification and find these additional person-alerts may lead to 1,200 (800-1,500) or 54% more averted PM2.5-attributable premature deaths per year, if geostationary, instead of polar orbiting, satellite data alone are used to identify alert days. These health benefits have an associated economic value of 13 (8.8-17) billion dollars ($2019) per year. Our results highlight one of many potential applications of atmospheric composition data from geostationary satellites for improving public health. Identifying these applications has important implications for guiding use of current satellite data and planning future geostationary satellite missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn O'Dell
- Milken Institute School of Public HealthGeorge Washington UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Shobha Kondragunta
- NOAA/NESDIS/Center for Satellite Applications and ResearchCollege ParkMDUSA
| | - Hai Zhang
- I. M. Systems Group, NOAA NCWCP, 5830 University Research CtCollege ParkMDUSA
| | - Daniel L. Goldberg
- Milken Institute School of Public HealthGeorge Washington UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Gaige Hunter Kerr
- Milken Institute School of Public HealthGeorge Washington UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Zigang Wei
- I. M. Systems Group, NOAA NCWCP, 5830 University Research CtCollege ParkMDUSA
| | | | - Susan C. Anenberg
- Milken Institute School of Public HealthGeorge Washington UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
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6
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Rice RB, Boaggio K, Olson NE, Foley KM, Weaver CP, Sacks JD, McDow SR, Holder AL, LeDuc SD. Wildfires Increase Concentrations of Hazardous Air Pollutants in Downwind Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21235-21248. [PMID: 38051783 PMCID: PMC10862657 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Due in part to climate change, wildfire activity is increasing, with the potential for greater public health impact from smoke in downwind communities. Studies examining the health effects of wildfire smoke have focused primarily on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), but there is a need to better characterize other constituents, such as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). HAPs are chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects that are regulated by the United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency. Here, we analyzed concentrations of 21 HAPs in wildfire smoke from 2006 to 2020 at 309 monitors across the western US. Additionally, we examined HAP concentrations measured in a major population center (San Jose, CA) affected by multiple fires from 2017 to 2020. We found that concentrations of select HAPs, namely acetaldehyde, acrolein, chloroform, formaldehyde, manganese, and tetrachloroethylene, were all significantly elevated on smoke-impacted versus nonsmoke days (P < 0.05). The largest median increase on smoke-impacted days was observed for formaldehyde, 1.3 μg/m3 (43%) higher than that on nonsmoke days. Acetaldehyde increased 0.73 μg/m3 (36%), and acrolein increased 0.14 μg/m3 (34%). By better characterizing these chemicals in wildfire smoke, we anticipate that this research will aid efforts to reduce exposures in downwind communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Byron Rice
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Katie Boaggio
- US EPA, Office of Air and Radiation, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Nicole E Olson
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Kristen M Foley
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Christopher P Weaver
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Jason D Sacks
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Stephen R McDow
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Amara L Holder
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Stephen D LeDuc
- US EPA, Office of Research and Development, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
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7
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Wen J, Heft-Neal S, Baylis P, Boomhower J, Burke M. Quantifying fire-specific smoke exposure and health impacts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2309325120. [PMID: 38085772 PMCID: PMC10743475 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309325120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapidly changing wildfire regimes across the Western United States have driven more frequent and severe wildfires, resulting in wide-ranging societal threats from wildfires and wildfire-generated smoke. However, common measures of fire severity focus on what is burned, disregarding the societal impacts of smoke generated from each fire. We combine satellite-derived fire scars, air parcel trajectories from individual fires, and predicted smoke PM2.5 to link source fires to resulting smoke PM2.5 and health impacts experienced by populations in the contiguous United States from April 2006 to 2020. We quantify fire-specific accumulated smoke exposure based on the cumulative population exposed to smoke PM2.5 over the duration of a fire and estimate excess asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits as a result of this exposure. We find that excess asthma visits attributable to each fire are only moderately correlated with common measures of wildfire severity, including burned area, structures destroyed, and suppression cost. Additionally, while recent California fires contributed nearly half of the country's smoke-related excess asthma ED visits during our study period, the most severe individual fire was the 2007 Bugaboo fire in the Southeast. We estimate that a majority of smoke PM2.5 comes from sources outside the local jurisdictions where the smoke is experienced, with 87% coming from fires in other counties and 60% from fires in other states. Our approach could enable broad-scale assessment of whether specific fire characteristics affect smoke toxicity or impact, inform cost-effectiveness assessments for allocation of suppression resources, and help clarify the growing transboundary nature of local air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Wen
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Patrick Baylis
- Department of Economics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BCV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Judson Boomhower
- Department of Economics, University of California, San Diego, CA92093
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Marshall Burke
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA02138
- Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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8
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Swain DL, Abatzoglou JT, Kolden C, Shive K, Kalashnikov DA, Singh D, Smith E. Climate change is narrowing and shifting prescribed fire windows in western United States. COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT 2023; 4:340. [PMID: 38665191 PMCID: PMC11041722 DOI: 10.1038/s43247-023-00993-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Escalating wildfire activity in the western United States has accelerated adverse societal impacts. Observed increases in wildfire severity and impacts to communities have diverse anthropogenic causes-including the legacy of fire suppression policies, increased development in high-risk zones, and aridification by a warming climate. However, the intentional use of fire as a vegetation management tool, known as "prescribed fire," can reduce the risk of destructive fires and restore ecosystem resilience. Prescribed fire implementation is subject to multiple constraints, including the number of days characterized by weather and vegetation conditions conducive to achieving desired outcomes. Here, we quantify observed and projected trends in the frequency and seasonality of western United States prescribed fire days. We find that while ~2 C of global warming by 2060 will reduce such days overall (-17%), particularly during spring (-25%) and summer (-31%), winter (+4%) may increasingly emerge as a comparatively favorable window for prescribed fire especially in northern states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L. Swain
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA USA
- Capacity Center for Climate and Weather Extremes, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO USA
- The Nature Conservancy of California, Sacramento, CA USA
| | - John T. Abatzoglou
- Management of Complex Systems Department, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA USA
| | - Crystal Kolden
- Management of Complex Systems Department, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA USA
| | - Kristen Shive
- The Nature Conservancy of California, Sacramento, CA USA
- Environmental Science, Policy and Management Department, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | | | - Deepti Singh
- School of the Environment, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA USA
| | - Edward Smith
- The Nature Conservancy of California, Sacramento, CA USA
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9
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Barros B, Oliveira M, Morais S. Continent-based systematic review of the short-term health impacts of wildfire emissions. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2023; 26:387-415. [PMID: 37469022 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2023.2236548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
This review systematically gathers and provides an analysis of pollutants levels emitted from wildfire (WF) and their impact on short-term health effects of affected populations. The available literature was searched according to Population, Exposure, Comparator, Outcome, and Study design (PECOS) database defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a meta-analysis was conducted whenever possible. Data obtained through PECOS characterized information from the USA, Europe, Australia, and some Asian countries; South American countries were seldom characterized, and no data were available for Africa and Russia. Extremely high levels of pollutants, mostly of fine fraction of particulate matter (PM) and ozone, were associated with intense WF emissions in North America, Oceania, and Asia and reported to exceed several-fold the WHO guidelines. Adverse health outcomes include emergency department visits and hospital admissions for cardiorespiratory diseases as well as mortality. Despite the heterogeneity among exposure and health assessment methods, all-cause mortality, and specific-cause mortality were significantly associated with WF emissions in most of the reports. Globally, a significant association was found for all-cause respiratory outcomes including asthma, but mixed results were noted for cardiovascular-related effects. For the latter, estimates were only significant several days after WF emissions, suggesting a more delayed impact on the heart. Different research gaps are presented, including the need for the application of standardized protocols for assessment of both exposure and adverse health risks. Mitigation actions also need to be strengthened, including dedicated efforts to communicate with the affected populations, to engage them for adoption of protective behaviors and measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bela Barros
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia Do Porto, Instituto Politécnico Do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta Oliveira
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia Do Porto, Instituto Politécnico Do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Simone Morais
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Instituto Superior de Engenharia Do Porto, Instituto Politécnico Do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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10
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Darling R, Hansen K, Aguilera R, Basu R, Benmarhnia T, Letellier N. The Burden of Wildfire Smoke on Respiratory Health in California at the Zip Code Level: Uncovering the Disproportionate Impacts of Differential Fine Particle Composition. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2023GH000884. [PMID: 37869264 PMCID: PMC10586090 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires constitute a growing source of extremely high levels of particulate matter that is less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5). Recently, toxicologic and epidemiologic studies have shown that PM2.5 generated from wildfires may have a greater health burden than PM2.5 generated from other pollutant sources. This study examined the impact of PM2.5 on hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in California between 2006 and 2019 using a health impact assessment approach that considers differential concentration-response functions (CRF) for PM2.5 from wildfire and non-wildfire sources of emissions. We quantified the burden of respiratory hospitalizations related to PM2.5 exposure at the zip code level through two different approaches: (a) naïve (considering the same CRF for all PM2.5 emissions) and (b) nuanced (considering different CRFs for PM2.5 from wildfires and from other sources). We conducted a Geographically Weighted Regression to analyze spatially varying relationships between the delta (i.e., the difference between the naïve and nuanced approaches) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). A higher attributable number of respiratory hospitalizations was found when accounting for the larger health burden of wildfire PM2.5. We found that, between 2006 and 2019, the number of hospitalizations attributable to PM2.5 may have been underestimated by approximately 13% as a result of not accounting for the higher CRF of wildfire-related PM2.5 throughout California. This underestimation was higher in northern California and areas with higher SVI rankings. The relationship between delta and SVI varied spatially across California. These findings can be useful for updating future air pollution guideline recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Darling
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyUC San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Kristen Hansen
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyUC San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity ScienceUC San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Rosana Aguilera
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyUC San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | - Rupa Basu
- Air and Climate Epidemiology SectionCalifornia Office of Environmental Health Hazard AssessmentOaklandCAUSA
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11
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Sacks JD, Holder AL, Rappold AG, Vaidyanathan A. At the Intersection: Protecting Public Health from Smoke While Addressing the U.S. Wildfire Crisis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 208:755-757. [PMID: 37579300 PMCID: PMC10563182 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202304-0744vp] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jason D. Sacks
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment and
| | - Amara L. Holder
- Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; and
| | - Ana G. Rappold
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment and
| | - Ambarish Vaidyanathan
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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12
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Berg CD, Schiller JH, Boffetta P, Cai J, Connolly C, Kerpel-Fronius A, Kitts AB, Lam DCL, Mohan A, Myers R, Suri T, Tammemagi MC, Yang D, Lam S. Air Pollution and Lung Cancer: A Review by International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer Early Detection and Screening Committee. J Thorac Oncol 2023; 18:1277-1289. [PMID: 37277094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2023.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The second leading cause of lung cancer is air pollution. Air pollution and smoking are synergistic. Air pollution can worsen lung cancer survival. METHODS The Early Detection and Screening Committee of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer formed a working group to better understand issues in air pollution and lung cancer. These included identification of air pollutants, their measurement, and proposed mechanisms of carcinogenesis. The burden of disease and the underlying epidemiologic evidence linking air pollution to lung cancer in individuals who never and ever smoked were summarized to quantify the problem, assess risk prediction models, and develop recommended actions. RESULTS The number of estimated attributable lung cancer deaths has increased by nearly 30% since 2007 as smoking has decreased and air pollution has increased. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified outdoor air pollution and particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns in outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans (International Agency for Research on Cancer group 1) and as a cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer risk models reviewed do not include air pollution. Estimation of cumulative exposure to air pollution exposure is complex which poses major challenges with accurately collecting long-term exposure to ambient air pollution for incorporation into risk prediction models in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS Worldwide air pollution levels vary widely, and the exposed populations also differ. Advocacy to lower sources of exposure is important. Health care can lower its environmental footprint, becoming more sustainable and resilient. The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer community can engage broadly on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joan H Schiller
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Paolo Boffetta
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Jing Cai
- School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education and National Health Commission Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Casey Connolly
- The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, Denver, Colorado
| | - Anna Kerpel-Fronius
- Department of Radiology National Korányi Institute for Pulmonology, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - David C L Lam
- University Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Anant Mohan
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Renelle Myers
- Department of Integrative Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tejas Suri
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Martin C Tammemagi
- Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dawei Yang
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care, Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Stephen Lam
- Department of Medicine, British Columbia Cancer Agency and The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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Ceamanos X, Coopman Q, George M, Riedi J, Parrington M, Clerbaux C. Remote sensing and model analysis of biomass burning smoke transported across the Atlantic during the 2020 Western US wildfire season. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16014. [PMID: 37749077 PMCID: PMC10519943 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39312-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomass burning is the main source of air pollution in several regions worldwide nowadays. This predominance is expected to increase in the upcoming years as a result of the rising number of devastating wildfires due to climate change. Harmful pollutants contained in the smoke emitted by fires can alter downwind air quality both locally and remotely as a consequence of the recurrent transport of biomass burning plumes across thousands of kilometers. Here, we demonstrate how observations of carbon monoxide and aerosol optical depth retrieved from polar orbiting and geostationary meteorological satellites can be used to study the long-range transport and evolution of smoke plumes. This is illustrated through the megafire events that occurred during summer 2020 in the Western United States and the transport of the emitted smoke across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Analyses from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, which combine satellite observations with an atmospheric model, are used for comparison across the region of study and along simulated air parcel trajectories. Lidar observation from spaceborne and ground-based instruments are used to verify consistency of passive observations. Results show the potential of joint satellite-model analysis to understand the emission, transport, and processing of smoke across the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier Ceamanos
- CNRM, Météo-France, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
| | - Quentin Coopman
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maya George
- LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Riedi
- CNRS, CNES, UAR 2877 - ICARE Data and Services Center, Univ. Lille, 59000, Lille, France
- CNRS, UMR 8518 - LOA - Laboratoire d'Optique Atmosphérique, Univ. Lille, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Mark Parrington
- European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, RG2 9AX, UK
| | - Cathy Clerbaux
- LATMOS/IPSL, Sorbonne Université, UVSQ, CNRS, Paris, France
- Spectroscopy, Quantum Chemistry and Atmospheric Remote Sensing (SQUARES), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
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14
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McBrien H, Rowland ST, Benmarhnia T, Tartof SY, Steiger B, Casey JA. Wildfire Exposure and Health Care Use Among People Who Use Durable Medical Equipment in Southern California. Epidemiology 2023; 34:700-711. [PMID: 37255240 PMCID: PMC10524711 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People using electricity-dependent durable medical equipment (DME) may be vulnerable to health effects from wildfire smoke, residence near wildfires, or residence in evacuation zones. To our knowledge, no studies have examined their healthcare utilization during wildfires. METHODS We obtained 2016-2020 counts of residential Zip Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level outpatient, emergency department (ED), and inpatient visits made by DME-using Kaiser Permanente Southern California members 45+. We linked counts to daily ZCTA-level wildfire particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and wildfire boundary and evacuation data from the 2018 Woolsey and 2019 Getty wildfires. We estimated the association of lagged (up to 7 days) wildfire PM 2.5 and residence near a fire or in an evacuation zone and healthcare visit frequency with negative binomial and difference-in-differences models. RESULTS Among 236,732 DME users, 10 µg/m 3 increases in wildfire PM 2.5 concentration were associated with the reduced rate (RR = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.94, 0.99) of all-cause outpatient visits 1 day after exposure and increased rate on 4 of 5 subsequent days (RR range 1.03-1.12). Woolsey Fire proximity (<20 km) was associated with reduced all-cause outpatient visits, whereas evacuation and proximity were associated with increased inpatient cardiorespiratory visits (proximity RR = 1.45; 95% CI = 0.99, 2.12, evacuation RR = 1.72; 95% CI = 1.00, 2.96). Neither Getty Fire proximity nor evacuation was associated with healthcare visit frequency. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that wildfire smoke or proximity interrupts DME users' routine outpatient care, via sheltering in place. However, wildfire exposures were also associated with increased urgent healthcare utilization in this vulnerable group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather McBrien
- From the Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Sebastian T Rowland
- From the Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
| | - Sara Y Tartof
- Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California
| | - Benjamin Steiger
- From the Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
| | - Joan A Casey
- From the Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, WA
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15
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Kabeshita L, Sloat LL, Fischer EV, Kampf S, Magzamen S, Schultz C, Wilkins MJ, Kinnebrew E, Mueller ND. Pathways framework identifies wildfire impacts on agriculture. NATURE FOOD 2023; 4:664-672. [PMID: 37550540 DOI: 10.1038/s43016-023-00803-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires are a growing concern to society and the environment in many parts of the world. Within the United States, the land area burned by wildfires has steadily increased over the past 40 years. Agricultural land management is widely understood as a force that alters fire regimes, but less is known about how wildfires, in turn, impact the agriculture sector. Based on an extensive literature review, we identify three pathways of impact-direct, downwind and downstream-through which wildfires influence agricultural resources (soil, water, air and photosynthetically active radiation), labour (agricultural workers) and products (crops and livestock). Through our pathways framework, we highlight the complexity of wildfire-agriculture interactions and the need for collaborative, systems-oriented research to better quantify the magnitude of wildfire impacts and inform the adaptation of agricultural systems to an increasingly fire-prone future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Kabeshita
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Lindsey L Sloat
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Land and Carbon Lab, World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Emily V Fischer
- Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Stephanie Kampf
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Courtney Schultz
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michael J Wilkins
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Eva Kinnebrew
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Nathaniel D Mueller
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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16
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Noah TL, Worden CP, Rebuli ME, Jaspers I. The Effects of Wildfire Smoke on Asthma and Allergy. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2023; 23:375-387. [PMID: 37171670 PMCID: PMC10176314 DOI: 10.1007/s11882-023-01090-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review the recent literature on the effects of wildfire smoke (WFS) exposure on asthma and allergic disease, and on potential mechanisms of disease. RECENT FINDINGS Spatiotemporal modeling and increased ground-level monitoring data are allowing a more detailed picture of the health effects of WFS exposure to emerge, especially with regard to asthma. There is also epidemiologic and some experimental evidence to suggest that WFS exposure increases allergic predisposition and upper airway or sinonasal disease, though much of the literature in this area is focused more generally on PM2.5 and is not specific for WFS. Experimental evidence for mechanisms includes disruption of epithelial integrity with downstream effects on inflammatory or immune pathways, but experimental models to date have not consistently reflected human disease in this area. Exposure to WFS has an acute detrimental effect on asthma. Potential mechanisms are suggested by in vitro and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry L Noah
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 260 Macnider Building, 333 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
| | - Cameron P Worden
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
- Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Meghan E Rebuli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 260 Macnider Building, 333 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Ilona Jaspers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 260 Macnider Building, 333 S. Columbia St., Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
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17
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Doubleday A, Sheppard L, Austin E, Busch Isaksen T. Wildfire smoke exposure and emergency department visits in Washington State. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, HEALTH : ERH 2023; 1:025006. [PMID: 37252333 PMCID: PMC10213826 DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/acd3a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires are increasing in prevalence in western North America due to changing climate conditions. A growing number of studies examine the impact of wildfire smoke on morbidity; however, few evaluate these impacts using syndromic surveillance data that cover many emergency departments (EDs). We used syndromic surveillance data to explore the effect of wildfire smoke exposure on all-cause respiratory and cardiovascular ED visits in Washington state. Using a time-stratified case crossover design, we observed an increased odds of asthma visits immediately after and in all five days following initial exposure (lag 0 OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.17; lag 1-5 ORs all 1.05 or greater with a lower CI of 1.02 or higher), and an increased odds of respiratory visits in all five days following initial exposure (lag 1 OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.03; lag 2-5 ORs and lower CIs were all at least as large) comparing wildfire smoke to non-wildfire smoke days. We observed mixed results for cardiovascular visits, with evidence of increased odds emerging only several days following initial exposure. We also found increased odds across all visit categories for a 10 μg m-3 increase in smoke-impacted PM2.5. In stratified analyses, we observed elevated odds for respiratory visits among ages 19-64, for asthma visits among ages 5-64, and mixed risk estimates for cardiovascular visits by age group. This study provides evidence of an increased risk of respiratory ED visits immediately following initial wildfire smoke exposure, and increased risk of cardiovascular ED visits several days following initial exposure. These increased risks are seen particularly among children and younger to middle-aged adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Doubleday
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Lianne Sheppard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Elena Austin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Tania Busch Isaksen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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18
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Martenies SE, Wilson A, Hoskovec L, Bol KA, Burket TL, Podewils LJ, Magzamen S. The COVID-19-wildfire smoke paradox: Reduced risk of all-cause mortality due to wildfire smoke in Colorado during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 225:115591. [PMID: 36878268 PMCID: PMC9985917 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2020, the American West faced two competing challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst wildfire season on record. Several studies have investigated the impact of wildfire smoke (WFS) on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, but little is known about how these two public health challenges impact mortality risk for other causes. OBJECTIVES Using a time-series design, we evaluated how daily risk of mortality due to WFS exposure differed for periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Our study included daily data for 11 counties in the Front Range region of Colorado (2010-2020). We assessed WFS exposure using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and used mortality counts from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. We estimated the interaction between WFS and the pandemic (an indicator variable) on mortality risk using generalized additive models adjusted for year, day of week, fine particulate matter, ozone, temperature, and a smoothed term for day of year. RESULTS WFS impacted the study area on 10% of county-days. We observed a positive association between the presence of WFS and all-cause mortality risk (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.01-1.04 for same-day exposures) during the period before the pandemic; however, WFS exposure during the pandemic resulted in decreased risk of all-cause mortality (IRR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.87-0.93 for same-day exposures). DISCUSSION We hypothesize that mitigation efforts during the first year of the pandemic, e.g., mask mandates, along with high ambient WFS levels encouraged health behaviors that reduced exposure to WFS and reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Our results suggest a need to examine how associations between WFS and mortality are impacted by pandemic-related factors and that there may be lessons from the pandemic that could be translated into health-protective policies during future wildfire events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheena E Martenies
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Ander Wilson
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Lauren Hoskovec
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kirk A Bol
- Center for Health and Environmental Data, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Tori L Burket
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Laura Jean Podewils
- Center for Health Systems Research, Denver Health Office of Research, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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19
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Thilakaratne R, Hoshiko S, Rosenberg A, Hayashi T, Buckman JR, Rappold AG. Wildfires and the Changing Landscape of Air Pollution-related Health Burden in California. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 207:887-898. [PMID: 36520960 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202207-1324oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Wildfires are a growing source of pollution including particulate matter ⩽2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), but associated trends in health burden are not well characterized. Objectives: We investigated trends and disparities in PM2.5-related cardiorespiratory health burden (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and all-cause respiratory and cardiovascular emergency department [ED] visits and hospital admissions) for all days and wildfire smoke-affected days across California from 2008 to 2016. Methods: Using residential Zone Improvement Plan code and daily PM2.5 exposures, we estimated overall and subgroup-specific (age, gender, race and ethnicity) associations with cardiorespiratory outcomes. Health burden trends and disparities were evaluated on the basis of relative risk, attributable number, and attributable fraction by demographic and geographic factors and over time. Measurements and Main Results: PM2.5-attributed burden steadily decreased, whereas the fraction attributed to wildfire smoke varied by fire season intensity, constituting up to 15% of the annual PM2.5-burden. The highest relative risk and PM2.5-attributed burden (92 per 100,000 people) was observed for respiratory ED visits, accounting for 2.2% of the respiratory annual burden. Disparities in overall morbidity in the oldest age, Black, and "other" race groups were also reflected in PM2.5-attributed burden, whereas Asian populations had the highest risk rate in respiratory outcomes and thus the largest fraction of the total burden attributed to the exposure. In contrast, high wildfire PM2.5-attributed burden rates in rural, central, and northern California populations occurred because of differential exposure. Conclusions: In California, wildfires' impact on air quality offset the public health gains achieved through reductions in nonsmoke PM2.5. Disproportionate effects could be attributed to differences in subpopulation susceptibility, relative risk, and differential exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruwan Thilakaratne
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California
- California Department of Public Health/Cal EIS Program, Richmond, California
| | - Sumi Hoshiko
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California
| | - Andrew Rosenberg
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California
| | | | - Joseph Ryan Buckman
- Environmental Health Investigations Branch, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, California
- California Department of Public Health/Cal EIS Program, Richmond, California
| | - Ana G Rappold
- Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina
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20
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Considine EM, Hao J, deSouza P, Braun D, Reid CE, Nethery RC. Evaluation of Model-Based PM 2.5 Estimates for Exposure Assessment during Wildfire Smoke Episodes in the Western U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2031-2041. [PMID: 36693177 PMCID: PMC10288567 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Investigating the health impacts of wildfire smoke requires data on people's exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across space and time. In recent years, it has become common to use machine learning models to fill gaps in monitoring data. However, it remains unclear how well these models are able to capture spikes in PM2.5 during and across wildfire events. Here, we evaluate the accuracy of two sets of high-coverage and high-resolution machine learning-derived PM2.5 data sets created by Di et al. and Reid et al. In general, the Reid estimates are more accurate than the Di estimates when compared to independent validation data from mobile smoke monitors deployed by the US Forest Service. However, both models tend to severely under-predict PM2.5 on high-pollution days. Our findings complement other recent studies calling for increased air pollution monitoring in the western US and support the inclusion of wildfire-specific monitoring observations and predictor variables in model-based estimates of PM2.5. Lastly, we call for more rigorous error quantification of machine-learning derived exposure data sets, with special attention to extreme events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M. Considine
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Jiayuan Hao
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Priyanka deSouza
- Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, 80202, USA
- CU Population Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
| | - Danielle Braun
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
| | - Colleen E. Reid
- CU Population Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
- Department of Geography, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80302, USA
- Earth Lab, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80303, USA
| | - Rachel C. Nethery
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
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21
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Sheffield PE. Mental health and climate change: The critical window of pregnancy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2023; 160:383-384. [PMID: 36271702 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Perry E Sheffield
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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22
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Masri S, Shenoi EA, Garfin DR, Wu J. Assessing Perception of Wildfires and Related Impacts among Adult Residents of Southern California. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:815. [PMID: 36613138 PMCID: PMC9820212 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Major wildfires and their smoke pose a threat to public health and are becoming more frequent in the United States, particularly in California and other populated, fire-prone states. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how California residents view wildfires and engage in risk-reducing behaviors during wildfire events. Currently, there is a knowledge gap concerning this area of inquiry. We disseminated a 40-question cross-sectional survey to explore wildfire perception and knowledge along with related risk-reducing measures and policies among 807 adult residents in the fire-prone region of Orange County, California. Results demonstrated that nearly all (>95%) participants had (or knew someone who had) previously experienced a wildfire. Female gender, knowing a wildfire victim and reporting to have a general interest/passion for environmental issues were the three factors most strongly associated with (1) wildfires (and smoke) being reported as a threat, (2) participants' willingness to evacuate if threatened by a nearby wildfire, and (3) participants' willingness to support a wildfire-related tax increase (p < 0.05). The majority (57.4%) of participants agreed that the occurrence of wildfires is influenced by climate change, with the most commonly reported risk-reducing actions (by 44% of participants) being informational actions (e.g., tracking the news) rather than self-motivated physical safety actions (e.g., using an air purifier) (29%). The results of this study can help to inform decision- and policy-making regarding future wildfire events as well as allow more targeted and effective public health messaging and intervention measures, in turn helping to reduce the risk associated with future wildfire/smoke episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahir Masri
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Erica Anne Shenoi
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Dana Rose Garfin
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Program in Public Health, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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23
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Zhang H, Wei Z, Henderson BH, Anenberg SC, O’Dell K, Kondragunta S. Nowcasting Applications of Geostationary Satellite Hourly Surface PM 2.5 Data. WEATHER AND FORECASTING 2022; 37:2313-2329. [PMID: 37588421 PMCID: PMC10428291 DOI: 10.1175/waf-d-22-0114.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The mass concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5; diameters less than 2.5 μm) estimated from geostationary satellite aerosol optical depth (AOD) data can supplement the network of ground monitors with high temporal (hourly) resolution. Estimates of PM2.5 over the United States (US) were derived from NOAA's operational geostationary satellites Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) AOD data using a geographically weighted regression with hourly and daily temporal resolution. Validation versus ground observations shows a mean bias of -21.4% and -15.3% for hourly and daily PM2.5 estimates, respectively, for concentrations ranging from 0 to 1000 μg/m3. Because satellites only observe AOD in the daytime, the relation between observed daytime PM2.5 and daily mean PM2.5 was evaluated using ground measurements; PM2.5 estimated from ABI AODs were also examined to study this relationship. The ground measurements show that daytime mean PM2.5 has good correlation (r > 0.8) with daily mean PM2.5 in most areas of the US, but with pronounced differences in the western US due to temporal variations caused by wildfire smoke; the relation between the daytime and daily PM2.5 estimated from the ABI AODs has a similar pattern. While daily or daytime estimated PM2.5 provides exposure information in the context of the PM2.5 standard (> 35 μg/m3), the hourly estimates of PM2.5 used in Nowcasting show promise for alerts and warnings of harmful air quality. The geostationary satellite based PM2.5 estimates inform the public of harmful air quality ten times more than standard ground observations (1.8 vs. 0.17 million people per hour).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Zhang
- I. M. Systems Group at NOAA, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Zigang Wei
- I. M. Systems Group at NOAA, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Susan C. Anenberg
- George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington DC, USA
| | - Katelyn O’Dell
- George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington DC, USA
| | - Shobha Kondragunta
- NOAA NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, College Park, Maryland, USA
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Wood LM, D’Evelyn SM, Errett NA, Bostrom A, Desautel C, Alvarado E, Ray K, Spector JT. "When people see me, they know me; they trust what I say": characterizing the role of trusted sources for smoke risk communication in the Okanogan River Airshed Emphasis Area. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2388. [PMID: 36539797 PMCID: PMC9763808 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14816-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As wildfire smoke events increase in intensity and frequency in the Pacific Northwest, there is a growing need for effective communication on the health risks of smoke exposure. Delivery through a trusted source or intermediary has been shown to improve reception of risk communication messages. This is especially salient in rural and tribal communities who may be hesitant to trust information from state and federal agency sources. This study aims to identify and characterize trusted sources for smoke risk information in the Okanogan River Airshed Emphasis Area (ORAEA), a rural region of North Central Washington state that is heavily impacted by smoke from wildfires and prescribed fire. METHODS The research team conducted a qualitative study using data collected through key informant interviews and focus groups to assess the role of various sources and intermediaries in disseminating smoke risk information. We used a consensual coding approach in NVivo Qualitative Analysis Software to sort data into preliminary categories, which were grouped into themes using a thematic analysis approach. We used member checking and iterative feedback processes with local project partners throughout the project to ensure credibility of results. RESULTS Through the analysis, we identified three themes characterizing trusted sources for smoke risk communication in the ORAEA. These themes were: (1) local and tribal sources of information are perceived as more trustworthy than state and federal government sources, (2) trustworthiness is determined by an evaluation of multiple factors, in particular, perceived credibility, quality of information, and relationship with the source, and (3) conservative political ideology and perceived parallels with COVID-19 communication influence perception of trust. Within each theme, we identified several sub-themes, which contributed additional nuance to our analysis. CONCLUSION This study provides insights into which sources of information are trusted by rural and tribal community members in the ORAEA and why. Results from our study emphasize the importance of relationships and collaboration with local and tribal partners in smoke risk communication. In this paper, we discuss implications for state and federal agency practitioners and present recommendations for how to work with local and tribal partners on smoke risk communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Wood
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
- Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Savannah M D’Evelyn
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Nicole A Errett
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Ann Bostrom
- Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Cody Desautel
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Natural Resources Department, Nespelem, USA
| | - Ernesto Alvarado
- School of Environmental and Forestry Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Kris Ray
- Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Natural Resources Department, Nespelem, USA
| | - June T Spector
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
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Eisenman DP, Galway LP. The mental health and well-being effects of wildfire smoke: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:2274. [PMID: 36471306 PMCID: PMC9724257 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14662-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smoke from wildfires is a growing public health risk due to the enormous amount of smoke-related pollution that is produced and can travel thousands of kilometers from its source. While many studies have documented the physical health harms of wildfire smoke, less is known about the effects on mental health and well-being. Understanding the effects of wildfire smoke on mental health and well-being is crucial as the world enters a time in which wildfire smoke events become more frequent and severe. We conducted a scoping review of the existing information on wildfire smoke's impact on mental health and well-being and developed a model for understanding the pathways in which wildfire smoke may contribute to mental health distress. METHODS We conducted searches using PubMed, Medline, Embase, Google, Scopus, and ProQuest for 1990-2022. These searches yielded 200 articles. Sixteen publications met inclusion criteria following screening and eligibility assessment. Three more publications from the bibliographies of these articles were included for a total of 19 publications. RESULTS Our review suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke may have mental health impacts, particularly in episodes of chronic and persistent smoke events, but the evidence is inconsistent and limited. Qualitative studies disclose a wider range of impacts across multiple mental health and well-being domains. The potential pathways connecting wildfire smoke with mental health and well-being operate at multiple interacting levels including individual, social and community networks, living and working conditions, and ecological levels. CONCLUSIONS Priorities for future research include: 1) applying more rigorous methods; 2) differentiating between mental illness and emotional well-being; 3) studying chronic, persistent or repeated smoke events; 4) identifying the contextual factors that set the stage for mental health and well-being effects, and 5) identifying the causal processes that link wildfire smoke to mental health and well-being effects. The pathways model can serve as a basis for further research and knowledge synthesis on this topic. Also, it helps public health, community mental health, and emergency management practitioners mitigate the mental health and well-being harms of wildfire smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P. Eisenman
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Center for Healthy Climate Solutions and Center for Public Health and Disasters, 1100 Glendon Avenue, Suite 850-878, Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA
| | - Lindsay P. Galway
- grid.258900.60000 0001 0687 7127Lakehead University Department of Health Sciences, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1 Canada
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Gewin V. How a dangerous stew of air pollution is choking the United States. Nature 2022; 612:204-207. [PMID: 36473970 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-04333-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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27
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Lee JY, Peterson PK, Vear LR, Cook RD, Sullivan AP, Smith E, Hawkins LN, Olson NE, Hems R, Snyder PK, Pratt KA. Wildfire Smoke Influence on Cloud Water Chemical Composition at Whiteface Mountain, New York. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. ATMOSPHERES : JGR 2022; 127:e2022JD037177. [PMID: 36590830 PMCID: PMC9787799 DOI: 10.1029/2022jd037177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires significantly impact air quality and climate, including through the production of aerosols that can nucleate cloud droplets and participate in aqueous-phase reactions. Cloud water was collected during the summer months (June-September) of 2010-2017 at Whiteface Mountain, New York and examined for biomass burning influence. Cloud water samples were classified by their smoke influence based on backward air mass trajectories and satellite-detected smoke. A total of 1,338 cloud water samples collected over 485 days were classified by their probability of smoke influence, with 49% of these days categorized as having moderate to high probability of smoke influence. Carbon monoxide and ozone levels were enhanced during smoke influenced days at the summit of Whiteface Mountain. Smoke-influenced cloud water samples were characterized by enhanced concentrations of potassium, sulfate, ammonium, and total organic carbon, compared to samples lacking identified influence. Five cloud water samples were examined further for the presence of dissolved organic compounds, insoluble particles, and light-absorbing components. The five selected cloud water samples contained the biomass burning tracer levoglucosan at 0.02-0.09 μM. Samples influenced by air masses that remained aloft, above the boundary layer during transport, had lower insoluble particle concentrations, larger insoluble particle diameters, and larger oxalate:sulfate ratios, suggesting cloud processing had occurred. These findings highlight the influence that local and long-range transported smoke have on cloud water composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamy Y. Lee
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Peter K. Peterson
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- Now at Department of ChemistryWhittier CollegeWhittierCAUSA
| | - Logan R. Vear
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Ryan D. Cook
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Amy P. Sullivan
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Ellie Smith
- Department of ChemistryHarvey Mudd CollegeClaremontCAUSA
| | | | | | - Rachel Hems
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | | | - Kerri A. Pratt
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
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28
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Childs ML, Li J, Wen J, Heft-Neal S, Driscoll A, Wang S, Gould CF, Qiu M, Burney J, Burke M. Daily Local-Level Estimates of Ambient Wildfire Smoke PM 2.5 for the Contiguous US. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13607-13621. [PMID: 36134580 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Smoke from wildfires is a growing health risk across the US. Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of such exposure and its population health impacts requires separating smoke-driven pollutants from non-smoke pollutants and a long time series to quantify patterns and measure health impacts. We develop a parsimonious and accurate machine learning model of daily wildfire-driven PM2.5 concentrations using a combination of ground, satellite, and reanalysis data sources that are easy to update. We apply our model across the contiguous US from 2006 to 2020, generating daily estimates of smoke PM2.5 over a 10 km-by-10 km grid and use these data to characterize levels and trends in smoke PM2.5. Smoke contributions to daily PM2.5 concentrations have increased by up to 5 μg/m3 in the Western US over the last decade, reversing decades of policy-driven improvements in overall air quality, with concentrations growing fastest for higher income populations and predominantly Hispanic populations. The number of people in locations with at least 1 day of smoke PM2.5 above 100 μg/m3 per year has increased 27-fold over the last decade, including nearly 25 million people in 2020 alone. Our data set can bolster efforts to comprehensively understand the drivers and societal impacts of trends and extremes in wildfire smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa L Childs
- Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jessica Li
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jeffrey Wen
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sam Heft-Neal
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Anne Driscoll
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sherrie Wang
- Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Carlos F Gould
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Minghao Qiu
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jennifer Burney
- Global Policy School, UC San Diego, San Diego, California 92093, United States
| | - Marshall Burke
- Center on Food Security and the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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29
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Saide PE, Thapa LH, Ye X, Pagonis D, Campuzano‐Jost P, Guo H, Schuneman ML, Jimenez J, Moore R, Wiggins E, Winstead E, Robinson C, Thornhill L, Sanchez K, Wagner NL, Ahern A, Katich JM, Perring AE, Schwarz JP, Lyu M, Holmes CD, Hair JW, Fenn MA, Shingler TJ. Understanding the Evolution of Smoke Mass Extinction Efficiency Using Field Campaign Measurements. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2022; 49:e2022GL099175. [PMID: 36591326 PMCID: PMC9788259 DOI: 10.1029/2022gl099175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Aerosol mass extinction efficiency (MEE) is a key aerosol property used to connect aerosol optical properties with aerosol mass concentrations. Using measurements of smoke obtained during the Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) campaign we find that mid-visible smoke MEE can change by a factor of 2-3 between fresh smoke (<2 hr old) and one-day-old smoke. While increases in aerosol size partially explain this trend, changes in the real part of the aerosol refractive index (real(n)) are necessary to provide closure assuming Mie theory. Real(n) estimates derived from multiple days of FIREX-AQ measurements increase with age (from 1.40 - 1.45 to 1.5-1.54 from fresh to one-day-old) and are found to be positively correlated with organic aerosol oxidation state and aerosol size, and negatively correlated with smoke volatility. Future laboratory, field, and modeling studies should focus on better understanding and parameterizing these relationships to fully represent smoke aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo E. Saide
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic SciencesUniversity of California—Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
- Institute of the Environment and SustainabilityUniversity of California—Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Laura H. Thapa
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic SciencesUniversity of California—Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Xinxin Ye
- Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic SciencesUniversity of California—Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Demetrios Pagonis
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - Pedro Campuzano‐Jost
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - Hongyu Guo
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - Melinda L. Schuneman
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | - Jose‐Luis Jimenez
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Colorado BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nicholas L. Wagner
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationChemical Sciences LaboratoryBoulderCOUSA
| | - Adam Ahern
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationChemical Sciences LaboratoryBoulderCOUSA
| | - Joseph M. Katich
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationChemical Sciences LaboratoryBoulderCOUSA
| | - Anne E. Perring
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- Department of ChemistryColgate UniversityHamiltonNYUSA
| | - Joshua P. Schwarz
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationChemical Sciences LaboratoryBoulderCOUSA
| | - Ming Lyu
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental SciencesUniversity of Colorado, BoulderBoulderCOUSA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationChemical Sciences LaboratoryBoulderCOUSA
| | - Christopher D. Holmes
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFLUSA
| | | | - Marta A. Fenn
- NASA Langley Research CenterHamptonVAUSA
- Science Systems and Applications IncHamptonVAUSA
| | - Taylor J. Shingler
- NASA Langley Research CenterHamptonVAUSA
- Science Systems and Applications IncHamptonVAUSA
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30
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Dickinson GN, Miller DD, Bajracharya A, Bruchard W, Durbin TA, McGarry JKP, Moser EP, Nuñez LA, Pukkila EJ, Scott PS, Sutton PJ, Johnston NAC. Health Risk Implications of Volatile Organic Compounds in Wildfire Smoke During the 2019 FIREX-AQ Campaign and Beyond. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2021GH000546. [PMID: 36017488 PMCID: PMC9393878 DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments and Air Quality was a NOAA/NASA collaborative campaign conducted during the summer of 2019. The objectives included identifying and quantifying wildfire composition, smoke evolution, and climate and health impacts of wildfires and agricultural fires in the United States. Ground based mobile sampling via sorbent tubes occurred at the Nethker and Williams Flats fires (2019) and Chief Timothy and Whitetail Loop fires (2020) in Idaho and Washington. Air samples were analyzed through thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for a variety of volatile organic compounds to elucidate both composition and health impacts. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, butenes, phenol, isoprene and pinenes were observed in the wildfire smoke, with benzene ranging from 0.04 to 25 ppbv. Health risk was assessed for each fire by determining sub-chronic (wildfire event) and projected chronic inhalation risk exposure from benzene, a carcinogen, as well as other non-carcinogenic compounds including toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and hexane. The cancer risk of benzene from sub-chronic exposure was 1 extra cancer per million people and ranged from 1 to 19 extra cancers per million people for the projected chronic scenarios, compared to a background level of 1 extra cancer per million people. The hazard index of non-carcinogenic compounds was less than one for all scenarios and wildfires sampled, which was considered low risk for non-cancer health events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle N. Dickinson
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Dylan D. Miller
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Aakriti Bajracharya
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - William Bruchard
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Timbre A. Durbin
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - John K. P. McGarry
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Elijah P. Moser
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Laurel A. Nuñez
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Elias J. Pukkila
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Phillip S. Scott
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Parke J. Sutton
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
| | - Nancy A. C. Johnston
- Physical, Life, Movement, and Sport Sciences DivisionLewis‐Clark State CollegeLewistonIDUSA
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31
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Schuller A, Walker ES, Goodrich JM, Lundgren M, Montrose L. Indoor Air Quality Considerations for Laboratory Animals in Wildfire-Impacted Regions-A Pilot Study. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10070387. [PMID: 35878291 PMCID: PMC9315628 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Wildfire events are increasing across the globe. The smoke generated as a result of this changing fire landscape is potentially more toxic than air pollution from other ambient sources, according to recent studies. This is especially concerning for populations of humans or animals that live downwind of areas that burn frequently, given that ambient exposure to wildfire smoke cannot be easily eliminated. We hypothesized that a significant indoor air pollution risk existed for laboratory animal facilities located proximal to fire-prone areas. Here, we measured real time continuous outdoor and indoor air quality for 28 days at a laboratory animal facility located in the Rocky Mountain region. We demonstrated that during a wildfire event, the indoor air quality of this animal facility is influenced by ambient smoke events. The daily average indoor fine particulate matter value in an animal room exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's ambient annual standard 14% of the time and exceeded the World Health Organization's ambient annual guideline 71% of the time. We further show that specialized cage filtration systems are capable of mitigating air pollution penetrance and could improve an animal's microenvironment. The potential effects for laboratory animal physiology that occur in response to the exposure levels and durations measured in this study remain to be determined; yet, even acute wildfire exposure events have been previously correlated with significant differences in gene regulatory and metabolic processes in vivo. We believe these findings warrant consideration for indoor laboratory animal facility air quality monitoring and development of smoke exposure prevention and response protocols, especially among facilities located downwind of fire-prone landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Schuller
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Program, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA;
| | - Ethan S. Walker
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA;
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Matthew Lundgren
- Office of Research Compliance, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA;
| | - Luke Montrose
- Department of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(208)-426-3979
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32
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Keswani A, Akselrod H, Anenberg SC. Health and Clinical Impacts of Air Pollution and Linkages with Climate Change. NEJM EVIDENCE 2022; 1:EVIDra2200068. [PMID: 38319260 DOI: 10.1056/evidra2200068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Air Pollution Impacts and Climate Change LinksAs part of the NEJM Group series on climate change, Keswani and colleagues review the linkages between climate change and air pollution and suggest strategies that clinicians may use to mitigate the adverse health impacts of air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjeni Keswani
- Division of Allergy/Immunology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
| | - Hana Akselrod
- Division of Infectious Diseases, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC
| | - Susan C Anenberg
- George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC
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33
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Johnson MM, Garcia‐Menendez F. Uncertainty in Health Impact Assessments of Smoke From a Wildfire Event. GEOHEALTH 2022; 6:e2021GH000526. [PMID: 35024532 PMCID: PMC8724531 DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wildfires cause elevated air pollution that can be detrimental to human health. However, health impact assessments associated with emissions from wildfire events are subject to uncertainty arising from different sources. Here, we quantify and compare major uncertainties in mortality and morbidity outcomes of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution estimated for a series of wildfires in the Southeastern U.S. We present an approach to compare uncertainty in estimated health impacts specifically due to two driving factors, wildfire-related smoke PM2.5 fields and variability in concentration-response parameters from epidemiologic studies of ambient and smoke PM2.5. This analysis, focused on the 2016 Southeastern wildfires, suggests that emissions from these fires had public health consequences in North Carolina. Using several methods based on publicly available monitor data and atmospheric models to represent wildfire-attributable PM2.5, we estimate impacts on several health outcomes and quantify associated uncertainty. Multiple concentration-response parameters derived from studies of ambient and wildfire-specific PM2.5 are used to assess health-related uncertainty. Results show large variability and uncertainty in wildfire impact estimates, with comparable uncertainties due to the smoke pollution fields and health response parameters for some outcomes, but substantially larger health-related uncertainty for several outcomes. Consideration of these uncertainties can support efforts to improve estimates of wildfire impacts and inform fire-related decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M. Johnson
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental EngineeringNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | - Fernando Garcia‐Menendez
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental EngineeringNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
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